Cheminées Poujoulat Disqualified

Articles | Wednesday 02 January 2013, 08:48

The International Jury, which is independent from the Vendée Globe Race Directors, the Race Committee and the organizers of the Vendée Globe, have taken the decision to disqualify Bernard Stamm (SUI, Cheminées Poujoulat) for an infringement of article 3.2 of the Notice of Race. Following the skipper’s pit stop on 23rd December south of Enderby Island (Auckland Islands, NZ) to repair his hydrogenerators, the Race Committee lodged a protest against Cheminées Poujoulat for receiving assistance.

Bernard Stamm has 24 hours (in other words until Thursday morning) since being notified of the decision to request the jury re-examine his case, as laid down in race rule 66, and will have to state his reasons with new information. If no request is forthcoming at the end of this time period, the decision will stand. The Race Committee also has the same possibility to reopen the case.

The other competitors in the race also have the right to ask for redress within 6 hours of being informed of the decision, if they consider they are affected by the jury’s decision.

Here are the details of the protest lodged by the Race Committee against Cheminées Poujoulat, the procedures, the facts as they have been presented, the conclusion and the jury’s decision.

Case 4

Protest Race Committe vs Cheminées Poujoulat

Proceedings

24 12 2012 at 12h13, the Race Direction send the jury a report about an incident involving Cheminées Poujoulat while in the Auckland Islands

24 12 at 15h07, the Race Committee sends the jury and the Race Direction an intention to protest Cheminées Poujoulat for an alleged breach of NOR 3.2.

24 12 at 15h53, the race direction inform Cheminées Poujoulat of the intention to protest from the Race Committee.

26 12 at 12h57, the Jury request Bernard Stamm to give comments on the protest, attaching the report from the Race Direction on which the protest is based

26 12 at 21h37, the Race Committee send the jury the complete protest

27 12 at 07h31, the Jury forward Cheminées Poujoulat the complete protest from the Race Committee

28 12 at 10h50, Regis Rassouli, from Cheminées Poujoulat team, sends the jury an information saying that Bernard Stamm was back in the race and would send his report about the incident as soon as possible.

29 12 at 10h40 Bernard Stamm sends the Jury his report.

Facts found

On 22 12, Bernard Stamm decides to change course toward the Auckland Islands in order to repair the hydro generators.

Until 23 12 at 04h00, Bernard Stamm sails by his own means to Sandy Bay, prepared to anchor.

At 04h53, Bernard Stamm anchors in the bay after having unsealed the engine and the heavy anchor.

At 20h00, Bernard Stamm notices the presence of a Russian scientific ship Professeur Khoromov moored close to his position. Then, within half an hour, Bernard Stamm notices his boat is drifting.

Seeing the boat is drifting toward the ship, Bernard Stamm calls her by VHF. During the chat with the crew, they propose to moor his boat to the ship. Considering this is an emergency situation, Bernard Stamm decides to use the ship as a mooring and informs the crew of his decision by VHF.

Then Bernard Stamm prepares the boat to move, sets the sails and turns on all devices .

Coming back in the cockpit, Bernard Stamm notices that a person from the ship is on board his boat and has begun to recover the anchor.

Bernard Stamm starts the engine and turns on the auto helm, then goes to the bow to recover the anchor.

Bernard Stamm decides not to ask this person to leave the boat “when I saw him on board I did not find any reason that could justify to send him back from the board”.

Bernard Stamm comes back to the engine controls and at the helm and the person at the bow throws the line on the Russian boat to make it fast.

Immediately afterwards, the person leaves Cheminées Poujoulat and returns to his RIB.

Once the boat has been correctly moored behind the Professeur Khoromov, Bernard Stamm goes to say hello to the two people in the RIB, and then they offer help. At this time, Bernard Stamm explains clearly the situation, that he is racing, that he is not entitled to any help.

Bernard Stamm considers that this was a case of absolute necessity for which it was needed to act in order to secure the boat and to prevent creating a problem for the ship moored nearby.

Conclusion

Mooring to another boat is a breach of the first sentence of NOR 3.2.

By not asking the person on his boat to leave when he discovered him, Bernard Stamm broke the second sentence of NOR 3.2.

The mooring of Cheminées Poujoulat to the Professeur Khoromov was made with the help of the person on board and the crew of the Professeur Khoromov. This is a breach to the second sentence of NOR 3.2.

Even though not requested, the assistance received from the crew member by Cheminées Poujoulat to secure the Cheminées Poujoulat and to prevent creating problem for the Professeur Khoromov constitutes a breach to NOR 3.2, and the material contact with another boat by mooring to her constitutes a breach to NOR 3.2 and to the principle of NOR 3.

Decision

Cheminées Poujoulat is DSQ from the Vendée Globe under NOR 3.2, fourth sentence and SI 11.2

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This ruling seams very harsh in view of the seamanship, safety of life at sea and the fact that no "race advantage" was being asked for or sought by the competitor. I hope that an appeal will prevent the disqualification of a fine sailor.

good seamanship by everyone is being ignored here by the very people who represent it,here is the chance to send the right message out,bernard is a pro sailor of the highest integrity,let common sense prevail.

Dear Jury, A rule which is preventing the excecution of good and professional seamanship should be considered and made invalid. As I see it the jury has not applied a fundamental law for every seaman. I consider even a time penalty is inappropriate in the case of Bernard Stamm.
In case that the descision of the jury is maintained I predict that the Vendee Globe will become a French national pond race without any international participation.
The Jury will be rated as a Travel Club and they do enjoy it as I have observed it many times.
Member of the Fraglia della Vela Riva, Klaus Elbel, Munich, Germany

Bernard gained no benefit from acting as he did and no other competitors have been affected. His attention to safety and seamanship is to be praised. If the jury wants to interpret the race rules strictly, this incident only merits a time penalty and no more. As others have said this decision if maitained does more damage to the reputation and image of the Vendee Globe.
I hope Bernard lodges a protest and that the general outcry will make the jury come to their senses.

That the russians went for help is only natural for anyone at sea. The help received was minimal. It would have taken Bernard about 2 hours to find another mooring place. Give him a penalty of 2 hours instead of disqualifying him, this would seem a more appropriate penalty and would help keeping the interest in the race and for future editions.

Listen to Mike Golding – has it right when he called you “a heartless jury”. This is a round the world race not around the buoys. It seems to me that you do not care if Cheminées Poujoulat ended up on the rocks and beached.
Bernard never sought help, and the Russian sailor was I am sure acting orders from an officer and would not have listened to Bernard.
Now if Bernard had gone on board the Russian ship and welded and machined parts this penalty would be appropriate but you the Jury are remote, unreasonable and simply have got this wrong.
Restore your crediablity by reducing the penalty.

a clear sign of the fact that the race and its nor are out of sync with reality. how can the organizers expect anyone sponsor to invest in the race when such decisions are taken by the jury/organizers.
bernhard is one of the worlds most respected solo sailors, a gentleman and a very nice guy! he would never try to cheat or get an advantage. shame on the jury and/or stupid nor's

Two points:-> [1] Shut up, Grogan. No one cares what you think. You seem to speak only to see your name in print [2] The laws of good seamanship over-ride any race rules. Stamm may/should be assessed a time penalty but not disqualification; if justice were served. Unfortunately the "Committee" may be bound by the race rules as written.. ... .. They may need to be amended. Let Bernard be permitted to finish the race as a competitor.

I think however if we go down that track we would be doing just as the Jury has done with Stamm. Effectively crushing adventure, creating such a society that the Mini Transat and other such races would all be illegal. Well, those are the rules, Right?
It may be hard for the Jury to change their decision without losing face but as they have already done that in the eyes of millions of race followers they can only gain their credibility back by changing their ruling to one of a time penalty which is very much what seems to be the overwhelming decision of the vast number of qualified opinions coming through here. They give a penalty, the race for Stamm continues and the spirit of the rules is redeemed keeping this, one of a last bastion of adventure sports away from such inappropriate rulings as to move it into the realm of America’s Cup racing that surely has lost most of its public interest due to courtroom wrangling.
Solo sailing is highly acclaimed in various countries and we know that some nationalities excel in the sport and are the peoples Hero’s.
The last thing that I would like to see it for solo sailing to be stopped just because the Colregs say that it is illegal to not keep a proper lookout and by definition, a ‘proper look out’ can not be kept by a solo sailor. If the Jury lives by the sword, perhaps they will die by the sword. It takes people bigger that the ‘letter of the law’ to wield power given to them, in a manner that is appropriate otherwise it would be ‘off with their heads’ for every infringement and a lack of personal freedom to sail alone. Dear Jury, please keep the spirit of sportsperson-ship alive. Use you power with a wise hand and by all means give a time penalty. Imagine if a higher power than yours took away the right for a solo sailor to sail the oceans and perhaps the gravity of the repercussions of your DSQ former ruling can be seen from a much wider perspective.

1.The jury has no mandate to penalize a contestant because an outside entity attempts to exercise their duty according to international maritime law. from hanese. (and) Rule 69 - Allegations of Gross Misconduct 69.1. Action by a Protest Committee (a) When a protest committee, from its own observation or a report received from any source, believes that a jury may have brought the sport into disrepute, it may call a hearing. from RoaringMax. Both these comments are interesting in as much as organisers of events have been successfully prosecuted for having ‘unsafe’ rules.
The ‘fact’ that all vessels must keep a ‘proper’ look out at all times may be said to be being broken so all the skippers and organisers and associated Jury’s etc may be in the line of fire for this strict interpretation of the law to be applied to them.

The stupidity of this decision is breathtaking. As you can see by all the sensibly worded responses below the "International Jury" has made a tunnel-visioned determination which is completely unfair. Rikki's observation of Rule 69 should be brought into play.
Go Bernard!!

dear bernard, keep going! it's crucial, to discuss now with the jury. from what i understand, the russians bothered you while repairing the generator, that's it. god luck, try hard, the truth will win! martin

I feel so sad by the decision. Bernard is a great sportsman anyway. The pleasure I had seeing all these men fight the seas, fight with fatigue, fight their own bodies and minds has now received an uppercut and I am KO. Yes KO, not OK!

If it is accepted that Bernard received outside assistance and moored to another vessel then jury decision is correct and is the only decision possible under the rules (and NOR's) as they are written for this event. Any issues with this decision should be with the rules and not with the jury. Perhaps the rules (and NOR's) for future events should provide for lessor penalties in certain circumstances.
However if I was Bernard I would submit to the jury that he was hindered by the other vessel and not assisted, and did not moor in the sense of docking for the purpose of being moored or docked. He was attached temporarily for the purposes of preventing damage to both boats, and as a direct result of the actions of the other vessel in anchoring close to Bernard.
The other vessel anchored nearby and in a location such that if his (Bernard's) anchor dragged then they would collide. In a single handed situation can be seriously snookered by the actions of the other vessel.
How do you retrieve an anchor and manoeuvre the boat in a tight situation, not of your own making.
I would also argue that Bernard was also required to comply with 1.1 in that the other boat was in danger of being damaged.
In my view Bernard did not receive outside assistance nor moor to another vessel within the intent of NOR 3.2.

A ridiculous decision by the so-called jury contrary to principles of seamanship and common sense. The rules presumably exist to ensure fairness to all the brave persons who undertake this difficult challenge. The only jury truly qualified to decide if the rules have been breached, or should be waived in this instance, should be composed of all the other sailors.

The two front leaders are too busy to show support or comment on Bernard's disqualification. I wonder what Francois and Michel Desjoyeaux are talking about at this time. After admitting yesterday to helping Francois, maybe the jury should look into this affair also.

The two front leaders are too busy to show support or comment on Bernard's disqualification. I wonder what Francois and Michel Desjoyeaux are talking about at this time. After admitting yesterday to helping Francois, maybe the jury should look into this affair also.

The two front leaders are too busy to show support or comment on Bernard's disqualification. I wonder what Francois and Michel Desjoyeaux are talking about at this time. After admitting yesterday to helping Francois, maybe the jury should look into this affair also.

Bernard does not warrant this treatment his so called "help" did not in fact constitute any gain as far as I see and it was not asked for curtailed as soon as was practical it should be recinded ASAP. This type of decision shows sailing in a very poor light to all

This is exactly what I expected from the jury. I'm sure they were not prejudiced against Bernard Stamm, but they certainly were not for him. Unfortunately, I'm also convinced that the verdict would have been different if the person involved had been one of the top-notch French sailors. The jury would then have found a way to keep him in the race. This is not directed against the French skippers - they are wonderful sportsmen and are actually supporting Stamm. It just reflects the importance of politics behind the scene when money is involved. I do hope they find a way out yet, in view of the protests. But the jury will lose credibility either way.

This is exactly what I expected from the jury. I'm sure they were not prejudiced against Bernard Stamm, but they certainly were not for him. Unfortunately, I'm also convinced that the verdict would have been different if the person involved had been one of the top-notch French sailors. The jury would then have found a way to keep him in the race. This is not directed against the French skippers - they are wonderful sportsmen and are actually supporting Stamm. It just reflects the importance of politics behind the scene when money is involved. I do hope they find a way out yet, in view of the protests. But the jury will lose credibility either way.

Rule 69 - Allegations of Gross Misconduct
69.1. Action by a Protest Committee
(a) When a protest committee , from its own observation or a report received from any source, believes that a jury may have brought the sport into disrepute, it maycall a hearing.

What a shame, what a stupid decission! Why filed the race committe a protest - have you been there - a 40 kt storm did approach the iseland. It lookes they were bored as there was no real incendent in the last few weeks. Why They now woke up as Berhard had some troubles... A very redicules decision, which can only be made fare away fom the sea. This has nothing to do with sport and shows only the lack of commen sense... We all hope for Bernhard and for the sailing sport and for the vendee globe. I personaly think that this decision will be a big liability for the whole event and for the future.

The jury has turned what has always been a heroic sailing competition into a shameful farce - can you not hear the anger and reproach that has come from the other competitors and sailing public at large.
Have any of these jury members sailed "around the world alone". I have 40k ocean miles under my keel and know the feelings of cold, fear, loneliness, and hardship that goes with solo sailing... these members of the jury are inept cowards. Have the courage to standup and make amends!

Just another example of how sports beaurocrats can destroy great sportsmanship. I am feeling with Bernard who has so far sailed a great race. I hope the jury is reconsidering its decision - but even if not I hope that Bernard will continue till Sables d'Olonnes where he will certainly get a great welcome by all his fans. He is a great sportsman and do have great respect and admiration for what he has achieved.
So could the site administrators please keep him in the online tracking, so we can track his further race!

Any rule that supersedes good seamanship constitutes a danger to humans on boats and should be rescinded. A violation of a rule promoting dangerous actions should never result in any action other than an observation being noted that the action occurred.
To keep as many of the few boats in the race as possible the organizers should demand the decision be reversed and if any penalty is imposed it ought not remove a person from the race. So far a bad and unfortunate decision.

The Jury should return to their home base on the planet Zog to re-consider their verdict as they are clearly not in touch with anyone on this planet - as evidenced by the comments shown here! Unfortunately this type of thinking destroys all the sportsmanhip and fair play that all the competitors work so hard for. I agree that the organisers should poll the other competitors for their thoughts and print the results. Keep going Bernard!

scandolous to dare such a decision under the great name of "international jury"------------stamm invested 12 years of his life to participate succesfully in the vendee globe--------what a shame for our sport

Dear Jury members,
Please revise your penalty as soon as possible; your decision does not improve sportmanship, but hurts it and the spirit of sailing. It will cause a precedence for non-communication of future events such as this one, and is outrageous in the eyes of many a sailor. We admire these men that do what we can't, and we admire their honesty as much as their courage and tenacity. Let's reward them, not push them under water.
Rules are important, but safety is more important, and attracting future sailors to race under fair rules and rulings is important too. Think of the sailors, and how such decisions, made thousands of (nautical) miles from their positions, affect their dreams, and that in what they thought was a fair, man-to-man (and woman) race, a small group of people can strike their name off so easily and crush them. Afterall, I am sure that if you look close enough, you could eliminate Gabart and Le Cleac'h as well, to give the others a chance - how dare they be so far in the lead! They must have had access to some information the others did not have, or used some 'illegal' wind to get where they are.
Please, let everyone race and come home safely! And thank Bernard for clearly communicating what he did, for being safe, and wish him good luck for the rest of his race - of course since you will make the right decision and remove the DSQ.
I will be happy to translate this into french if the members of the Jury should request me to.
Gwenael, Breton in Florida, USA

show your sympathy with Bernard by pressing "unlike" to vendeeglobe on your fb profile if the decision is not revised tmrw
such a great race and and more an a pair of good sailors, but if the jury decision is confirmed, then what better way to stop the media coverage is there than to stop clicking the site and to "unlike" the event?
sad for the other sailors - yes - but they have their teams ashore being able to lobby for a revision of the decision!

If this was a 1 or 2 day solo race I can understand the jury's decision.....
Bernard and his team have invested heavily in this marquis event.....
is the jury not encouraging future competitors in emergency situations to either put themselves and maybe others at greater risk in order to strictly comply with the rules...or encouraging future competitors to withhold the truth should there be a careless or inadvertent rule violation......keep going Bernard !
inadvertent or even careless rule violation

Interesting that the two leaders have used each other in monitoring collision avoidance with icebergs...without penalty; but Bernhard receives a DSQ fro collision avoidance with a Russian ship in a confined anchorage. A time penalty maybe, but a DSQ - ridiculous!

Rules are there to keep it fair to all competitors.
1. Did Bernard Stamm gain any advantage of having an unwanted sailor on this boat?
2. What would have happend, if he never had mentioned that another sailor was on his boat?
Bernard showed great sportmanship to report everything and now he gets punished for that.
With this decision the Vendee Globe lost a lot of there "true values" and it will encourage another competitor will not tell the whole truth to stay in the race.

... Bernard had to moor and rebuild his generators mounts himself. What a sailor! It’s a well known fact that the boat with the least functioning problems poses the best sailing vessel leaving sailor skill to do what he/she does best. When Jean Le Cam was rescued from his capsized vessel by Vincent Riou, what would your decision have been if PRB had finished the race with Jean aboard? It was unfortunate that PRB dismasted as a result of the rescue. That’s true testament as to the fellowship and seamanship of the sailors that even make the Vendee Globe possible. While I respect the rules of the race, I appeal to all those of authority and discretionary influence (namely the other sailors) for a decision that will reinforce the integrity of the greatest race on this planet; The Vendee Globe.

It is difficult for us to speculate as to the intensity of Bernard's situation. Or any of these sailors for that matter. Every sailor operates the sea with a code of seamanship that prioritizes the safety of the crew, the craft and others around them. That's why there are rules like the TSS. Taking into account the extreme conditions presented to these athletes, the preparation and investment, and don’t forget the unpredictable surprises the Lady of the Sea has up her sleeve, I am confident that every sailor understands the rules of the VD to the letter. Do you really think a sailor would jeopardize their race by breaching the rules intentionally? The fear of history repeating itself by grounding the craft factored into decisions. Quick thinking to safety the vessel. Fatigue and frustration. Forces of nature; all are factors . This decision has stirred up a swarm of comments from many sailors around the world. The rules of the VD are there to ensure the safety and fair play of the game; The Race. The appeal should come from the skipper(s) involved with the dispute, the team and the organization. The only skipper involved is Bernard himself. He’s already lost 5 positions and 3 days of racing due to malfunctioning equipment. Did he actually “seek” support from others outside of the race? Anymore or less than Alex Thompson did when he deliberated with his team on how best to repair his rudder ties? He fixed the problem himself. What a sailor! ...

This penalty certainly discourages future honesty on the part of other skippers fearing a similar outcome...fair or not, it sets a dangerous precedence for future such events. Maybe a collision is the more reasonable option, who is to say but the Committee members?

This decision is too harsh. While this ruling may have been technically correct and the may have been a violation of the rule and principles of the race, it would have been a violation of the prinicple of good seamanship to not have taken those actions to prevent collision with a non-race-participant. I'm sure the Russian boat would have withstood the collision if it happened, but non-race-participants should not be required to stand by and hope that it does not. That would be rediculous. At the very least, the penalty should reflect this.

The decision of the committee is hard to follow. The russian boat was showing good seamanship by helping to prevent any damage Bernhard's or the their own boat) and to prevent an even more serious situation for the life of Bernhard should he have run on ground! Furthermore Bernhard din't take any advantage out of this... so disqualification is definitely ridiculous, a penalty might seem reasonable!

The decision of the committee is hard to follow. The russian boat was showing good seamanship by helping to prevent any damage Bernhard's or the their own boat) and to prevent an even more serious situation for the life of Bernhard should he have run on ground! Furthermore Bernhard din't take any advantage out of this... so disqualification is definitely ridiculous, a penalty might seem reasonable!

I believe that the race committe should show some gentlemanhood and if a penalty is necessary to award that in terms of time rather than a full DSQ. Any skipper in the race would be deeply disappointed to see another skipper not having the chance to COMPLETE the race after such an ordeal, especially when under the circumstances, the episode has not damaged the position of any of the other skippers. The Vendee Globe is an endurance race and to see skippers completing it officially, not winning, is what matters to everyone.

Outrageous! Bernard keep racing you have done nothing wrong! You were courteous and polite to the Professeur Khoromov. They sent over a RIB, which was prudent. They did not want you to hit their ship and did what they felt necessary. This was beyond your control and as soon as possible, you informed the Professeur Khoromov that you were not to receive assistance. You followed the rules and moved on. You made repairs unassisted! To interpret the rules so literally in this case is ridicules. The jury needs to rethink their decision and realize that you acted prudently. What happened was unavoidable and has no bearing to the outcome of the race.

The decision of the committee is hard to follow. The russian boat was showing good seamanship by helping to prevent any damage Bernhard's or the their own boat) and to prevent an even more serious situation for the life of Bernhard should he have run on ground! Furthermore Bernhard din't take any advantage out of this... so disqualification is definitely ridiculous, a penalty might seem reasonable!

What a jury! It lookes they were bored as there was no real incendent in the last few weeks. They now woke up as Berhard had some troubles...
A very redicules decision, which can only be made in a save and warm office.
This has nothing to do with sport and shows only the lack of commen sense...
We all hope for Bernhard and for the sailing sport and for the vendee globe.
I personaly think that this decision will be a big liability for the whole event and for the future.

Dear Jury !
As a professional skipper, sailing around for 25 years, happened several times similar case:
Observing the bay where ancored and see somebody in trouble, for my and their safety I jump into the Rib and run to help them, because others problem with anchor could be quickly yours and if they "catch" your anchor, both can finish aground.....
So dear Jury, think about, Dsq or some time or % penalty ?

The decision of the committee is hard to follow. The russian boat was showing good seamanship by helping to prevent any damage Bernhard's or the their own boat) and to prevent an even more serious situation for the life of Bernhard should he have run on ground! Furthermore Bernhard din't take any advantage out of this... so disqualification is definitely ridiculous, a penalty might seem reasonable!

If you have an emergency and you need help and that was the case ,
safety first and you have the duty to call off yourself from the race , that what the race is all about.
Clearly safety first
, but he has to e DSQ , has everybody else which had to DSQ for repairs with assistance .
That why this race is so toughs , to letting him stay on the race would be unfair toward those which are behind but do not needs repair , part of the race is to have a boat sufficiently toughs , to race the harsh conditions
,the hydrogenerators were a weak point , to thin to withstand the southern oceans , wrong choice of options ,
the others still in race made better choice of options and lost speed as result , the race is as well on the choice of option during preparation
If you can repair at sea with no assistance fine , if you can't that means you are DSQ and you know it .
, the international jury is making him a favor by DSQ him , Bernard Stamm is taking a big chance with his life by going on with faulty hydrogenerators , the race committee should order him to sail to the nearest land and port for him which is at these point NZL precisely in name of safety even before any rules which has been breached.
It will have few years to present a boat repairs for the next race .

outrageous! & to compound it the Jury waited until they had finished their holiday celebrations before handing down their decision. From the moment they announced their decision to protest it was obvious that they intended to disqualify him. So why not do that instantly instead of waiting a week; at least Bernhard could have celebrated New Year on shore in Kiwi-land. This was a Court Martial not an arbitration. Bad news for spotsmen & supporters everywhere.

the rules have to be properly read!
NO help come from an unknown guy onboard you own 60" race boat in the middle of a storm. The only action that the skipper has to do is to start the engine before to speak and to safe the boat before to explain his reasons.
Moreover I do not see differences between moor the boat on the quay or to a floating SHIP if the action are done without external help.
I hope that the jury decision will be revised, othervise a negative impact on the million of fans that follow the race online will influence also the popularity of this very special race with all the related consequencies.
good luck Bernard!

Maybe one should think about the word "help" in this particular case. What Bernard did (and the crew of the russian boat did) seems to be clear. Maybe there is "help" in there, maybe not.
Now, why would two participants of the race sail for days very close together - if not for "help" (giving it or recieving it in a case of urgency)? To make my point clear: I do not want the two great sailors to be punished!
But: To know that there would be "help" around changes a lot, my decisions are not necessarily the same than when no other sailor is around. I feel safer and so my sailing is different. My rest may be better and so on. "Help"?
I wish the jury all the best to find the correct decisions.

Feel terrible for him but didn't he have other options to keep himself and others safe. Everyone signed up for a solo race. If skippers aren't to be judged on their own decisions then what is the point. I hope though the rules allow him to continue as if he were racing, in the companionship of the fleet, and to see what life delivers; it is usually good. robin

No intent to break the rules and to no advantage to Stamm in any way possible. A penalty yes! But not a disqualification. I have followed this race since Lamazou won the first edition and I have been to Les Sable to see the departures. I must admit that I may never return to Les Sables and will think about boycotting this race in the future. May you come back to Les Sables as a hero Mr Stamm because you as the other competitors deserve it greatly no matter what this jury has to say. I am sure you will have a great reception on your return.........

The disqualification was too harsh and stupidly sets a precedent which places the racing rules above the common sense rules relating to safety at sea. Time penalties may be appropriate, but a disqualification for actions which may have saved his life and almost certainly his ship, comes close to rewarding those who may take unnecessary, and foolish chances for fear of similar penalties.

No intent to break the rules and to no advantage to Stamm in any way possible. A penalty yes! But not a disqualification. I have followed this race since Lamazou won the first edition and I have been to Les Sable to see the departures. I must admit that I may never return to Les Sables and will think about boycotting this race in the future. May you come back to Les Sables as a hero Mr Stamm because you as the other competitors deserve it greatly no matter what this jury has to say. I am sure you will have a great reception on your return.........

Bernard gained no benefit from acting as he did and no other competitors have been affected. His attention to safety and seamanship is to be praised. If the jury wants to interpret the race rules strictly, this incident only merits a time penalty and no more. As others have said this decision if maitained does more damage to the reputation and image of the Vendee Globe.
I hope Bernard lodges a protest and that the general outcry will make the jury come to their senses.

Steve Pickles I agree with you!
Rules are rules, but there was no intent on his part to break any rules.
When you're facing so many difficulties and trying to repair your boat and keep safe (yourself and boat) the last thing that spring to your mind is the rule book!
This decision is wrong (c'est nul) so I wish this jury a very NULLE year!

Rules for safety at sea should come before rules for racing - there was no intent to break rules here and no racing advantage obtained - he had already anchored and stopped racing for repairs - let Bernard continue (with a time penalty if deemed absolutely neccessary) - have any of this jury ever been to sea to appreciate what it is like to actually compete in this race?!

Non-Stop around the world, alone... The leading French skippers show how: Since more than 20 days together, reducing risk etc..... no protests sofar.
The DSQ of Bernard Stamm is a farce and may be the beginning of the end of the Vendee globe. Even when the DSQ is revised in a time penalty, the damage to the race will be unrepairable. The organisatin is herewith requested to keep Bernard at least on the race tracking. Keep going Bernard. Ron Trap

The decision of disqualification is wrong.
The ultimate responsibility of every skipper or sailor is to avoid damage to ship or crew, this overrides everything including racing rules.
If such a manouvre is preceded or caused by an effort to gain undue advantage DSQ is the penalty, but this was not the case here. Allan

This decision really makes no sense, in particular because Bernard got no real benefit from breaking the rule he allegedly broke. Please could you revert your decision.
Thank you and best regards
Alexander

I fully understand the decision and it is the only decision that can be made regarding the facts given by the skipper himself, though of course I must admit it is a hard one.
However, the race organisation should find a solution to give Mr. Stamm the chance to finish his trip to les sables.
We are following the greatest sportive heroes on the planet.
Being disqualified right in the middle of the so called "pacific" ocean is simply something different than being taken out of a competition anywhere else.
But it is not only about Stamm, it is also about his fans and the sailing fans in general, that want to give him a warm welcome in Les Sables. Since there is no doubt about this, in my eyes, the organisation team MUST find a solution in letting Stamm sail on and give us fans the posibility to watch his progress just like is done with all the other skippers.
There is another thing I would like to point out: Stamm is among 4 other boats in the near and it just gives an extra level of safety for all of them since the skippers will probably the first who would and could help each other in the case of a serious problem.
with best regards from munich, germany

I don't believe it!! Do this jury know anything about yacht racing and safety of the boat and skipper etc. He may have broken some of their(VGR) rules but it was a clear case of having to or the boat/skipper may have been put in danger. I believe a time penalty would have served it's purpose in this case not a FULL disqualification. Any investigations should have been done on the race jury, things like: People in irovy towers/jobs worth/over zealous and haven't an ounce of logical thinking between them springs to mind. KEEP B.STAMM IN THE RACE!!!

In the heading of this news you report: "Following the skipper’s pit stop on 23rd December...."etc. Pit stop?? Very poor journalism.
I appreciate the reports Alex and Mike and like to motivate the other skippers to react as well since they are the only qualified jury. Please vote. Good luck to all of you. Ron Trap

Bernard should continue along as if nothing has changed. He should race hard and safely and try and put the decision of this committee behind him. I believe his mates in the other boats, fans of the race including myself, will also forget this arbitrary and very harsh judgement. In the end he will finish doing his best and really that is what it's all about. Go for it Bernard we are with you...............

Of course Bernard was fully aware of the rules, he was also fully aware of his situation, hence he made the right decisions and did everything he could to avoid outside assistance.. He, and only he knows what he did and why.. To have some bureaucrats review this case by the letter is unconscionable ... A jury needs to evaluate the facts and define wether the "intent" of the rules were violated..!
My passion for the Vendee Globe is gone....Bernard, drop back to Alessandro and sail together back home with full Seafarer's enjoyment..you both will receive a hero's welcome...God Speed....

How cruel and heartless, this decision of the "jury". Given the facts found,securing the ship and avoiding a collosion (rule nr one of good seamanship) was done with minor assistance and with no repeat no impact on the race(results).
So this DSQ is no promotion for the sublime race that the Vendee Globe is and puts a dark cloud above it

He did not "receive" outside assistance as it was not offered.
He was attached to a mooring which happened to be the Professeur Khoromov, he did not dock or come alongside another boat.
Case closed, keep on racing my friend, for the sake of the sport and your supporters.

Non-Stop Around the world alone. The leading french sailors show how: since more than 20 days together... no protest of course. The DSQ of bernard stamm is a farce and may be the end of the vendee globe. Even if the DSQ is revised in a time penalty, the damage to the race is not repairable. Please keep Bernard at least on the race tracking. Good luck Bernard. Ron Trap

Like everyone else I believe the jury to be legally correct but morally wrong. All competitors should contact the jury and demand they retract this absurd ruling which benefits no one and brings our sport into disrepute !

Though DSQ may be the technically correct interpretation of the rules, it is not the right end decision. I very much hope it is appealed by all those that can, and the decision does not stand. Go Bernard!

I believe the True Spirit of Regatta Racing has been compromised. Seamanship in True Need shall always come before rules.
Beides rules there is also an ethical side to be considered to come to a reasonable Solutions for all the Fans as well sailors following the vendeeglobe globe.

@karl absolutely disagree with you about a sponsor race for french individualism with nobody at the helm??? First anyone sail offshore more than 2 or 300 miles alone need an Autopilot the best sailor in the world never tired,never talk and complain,never eat,never sleep and always going straight. Cammas showed to the world in the Volvo what's mean race around the world,first participation Winner!!!
About Bernard if is going to sail to Sable Dolonne is like agree to the Jury.
He has to stop and retire in the middle of the Pacific and ask for assistance because he finished the diesel and juice for the Gennys may be after they are going to think about the decision.I am happy the majority of the Comments regret the Jury antiseamanship.

by the 'RULES'; out.!!!
However, what about fair play, gamesmanship, seamanship and the general
attitude of the sailors?
DEFINITELY still IN !!!!
come on intl jury, play the game.......or are you purely beancounters?
bernard stamm should be allowed to continue to race.

He had external help. So he broke the rules. But the decision of the RC is of an quality I thought only German bureaucracy can deliver: stubborn following the letters without thinking about/ deciding along the original intention.
That´s not Vendee Globe, that is AC level :-(

Very disappointing decision indeed. This was just good seamanship and the events haven't contributed to his race results in any way. A time penalty would have been more than sufficient. This is very demotivating and completely unnecessary.

This does seem massively harsh sat in my arm chair. Only the sailors competing would know whether this is fair. They should be asked! How can you dsq such a brave and worthy competitor who was trying so hard to compete.

In the 2011 Sydney to Hobart race, Loyal received outside assistance from a conversation with a helicopter. It was a definite breach off the rules, but the jury decided that it was of no advantage and was un intended, so they did not dsq the winner. The .vg jury should have the same since

I want to be adde to this list in support of bernard, there is no reason for this to be a disqualification, the jury were already aware of his issue to repair his Hydrogenerators, the assistance he received did nothing to improve his position, he mereloy took control of a situation that could have caused damage to another vessel. A time penalty maybe, he has already lost considerable time just sailing to this position to do his repair, how much more humiliation on the Vendee Globe Race can you inflict, Bernard can hold his head high but you cannot!

A very disappointing decision.
To be disqualified because of the actions of an external person who was unaware of the rules, and that action having no material effect on the outcome of the race, is very harsh.
In a show of solidarity with the honesty and integrity that Bernard has shown perhaps the other competitors could also submit detailed reports to the Race Committee describing the outside assistance they have received in the form of communication from their support teams in order to diagnose problems and make repairs to the systems on their boats. Surely these actions have had a material effect on the outcome of the race.

Do not agree with the International Jury decision. It is a narrow interpretation of rules applied in a safety at sea setting. There is already a safety at sea problem as evidenced with numerous collisions and close calls early on in the race, exacerbated by narrow application of race rules conflicting with safety at sea. This application of rules contradictory to norms of security at sea formulated over several centuries will probably mean the end of the Vendee Globe.

It is clear that this race is all about showboating for sponsors in Europe, and has nothing to do with seamanship at all.
A third to a half of the boats fall apart and drop out. The remaining boats go around the world with no one at the helm or on watch for hours at a time, running into commercial fishing vessels quite often on the open sea. And now, competitors taking responsible action to avoid fouling commercial vessels in confined anchorages are disqualified for doing so.
This decision makes a complete mockery of the Vendee Globe and the people behind it. The event is supposed to be about seamanship, but it clearly is only concerned with some French novelist's romantic notion of individualism. Bernard has shown his character and integrity, and the race organizers have shown the embarrassing hoax that is the Vendee Globe. Unfortunately the event can no longer be taken seriously.

Bernard Stamm lost days and ca. 2'000 miles in order to repair his boat and informed the committee about every single action. Outside help????? Safety and seamanship should dominate this sport, not narrow minded interpretation of paragraphs and stupid reading of words, dear Bernard Bonneau (FRA); Ana Sanchez (ESP); Trevor Lewis (GBR); Jack Lloyd (NZL); Georges Priol (FRA)

saftey first,a timepenalty would have been enough.Sending away the other sailor would have been extremly unfriendly and against every seafarer custoum like helping and accepting the offered help. Should he have thrown the helper over the reling? With such a jury silence is really golden.

Taking the letter of the law - the jury was right that NOR 3.2 was breached. However, the weight of the punishment (DSQ) is too much and not proportional to the event happened. Bernard should deserve a 12 hour time penalty instead.

Dear Jury, You have made the wrong decision. You think you have acted correctly by following the rules to the letter, but you should be aware that the spirit of the rule was not broken and the Vendee Globe is much bigger than mere lawyers' opinions and liability limitiation.
If this decision stands, the race will become a complete joke - just a pointless exercise decided by paperwork. And it will be your fault. You must do whatever it takes to get the decision reversed.

Taking the letter of the law - the jury was right that NOR 3.2 was breached. However, the weight of the punishment (DSQ) is too much and not proportional to the event happened. Bernard should deserve a 12 hour time penalty instead.

Didn't the Race Committee already bend the rules by allowing him to use his motor? So why is that allowed but not this? They have shown that the rules can be bent in some situations, but not others. A time penalty might have been a better option.

The VG rules are correct and the jury's decision is correct; it does not leave room for a time penalty.
A tough decision, a tough race.
As rules are made for a fair race between skippers perhaps the only possibility of reinstating Bernard would be to poll (privately) the other skippers who are racing over the decision,. If unanimously they agree to his reinstatement then so it should be.

Questions I would like to be answered:
1. Why aren't the boats equipped with suitable anchors to cope with these possible situations? This is basic seamanship and should be part of the Rules
2. Was the Russian ship already there ? or did it arrive after Stamm had anchored? If before then Bernard at fault if after then not at fault.
3. Was the Russian ship acting to prevent collision and damage to its own ship?
4. What was the distance between the two vessels when the "boarding incident" took place?

The VG rules are correct and the jury's decision is correct; it does not leave room for a time penalty.
A tough decision, a tough race.
As rules are made for a fair race between skippers perhaps the only possibility of reinstating Bernard would be to poll (privately) the other skippers who are racing over the decision,. If unanimously they agree to his reinstatement then so it should be.

Would you rather have been printing the story of how his boat slipped during the night and ended up on the rocks or crashed into the Russian Vessel upon leaving?? What about COLREGS?? You guys should go back and look at your rules.
If he did the repairs all alone why should this minor incident matter? Don't forget he told YOU about his first and was very upfront about it. He should continue to race

Would you rather have been printing the story of how his boat slipped during the night and ended up on the rocks or crashed into the Russian Vessel upon leaving?? What about COLREGS?? You guys should go back and look at your rules.
If he did the repairs all alone why should this minor incident matter? Don't forget he told YOU about his first and was very upfront about it. He should continue to race

I have spent many years sailing (nowhere near this level though) and have taken part in numerous regatta's. From my earliest days of sailing I was always taught that the safety of man and boat was paramount and takes precendence over everything. As a skipper Bernard Stamm had a legal requirement to ensure that neither he, his boat, the crew of the Russian boat and the Russian boat itself was not endangered by his actions. The only thing he could do in order to meet this legal requirement in the circumastances that he found himself is was to moor to the Russion boat. The Internation Jury needs to re-think this stupid decision. It encourages other skippers to avoid their legal and morale requirements.

What I don't understand is that people seem to think Bernard didn't have any other option than to moor to the ship. According to the official decision Bernard did:
"calls her by VHF. During the chat with the crew, they propose to moor his boat to the ship. Considering this is an emergency situation, Bernard Stamm decides to use the ship as a mooring and informs the crew of his decision by VHF.
Then Bernard Stamm prepares the boat to move, sets the sails and turns on all devices."
Firstly, Bernard should have notified the ship about the rules of no assistance during the VHF chat (though I understand that in the heat of the moment it was easy to forget/not think about it). That would have avoided the boarding and unasked for assistance of another person.
Secondly, if Bernard had time to "prepare the boat, set sails and turn on all devices" I'm suspect he could have chosen not to accept the ship's proposal to moor against it.
In other words, I doubt that the only options were to moor or run aground. Not mooring against the ship would have probably meant that Bernard would have had to leave Sandy Bay and find other shelter. I understand that Bernard didn't choose to not moor against the ship, but by doing so he knew he was risking a rule breach.

I’m very very sorry for Bernad, moreover it makes me more upset while writing my following sentences. Being an Ocean Going Marine Master and additionally having sailing experience since 1979 I duly understand Bernard’s situation how he forced take such assistance being a responsible skipper considering safety of boat and himself. But we have to look at the case from objective side and we have to admit that Professeur Khoromov may not be the same place as Bernard anchored but prevailing conditions remain same. In which case Bernard remain forced to mitigate himself without taking any assistance - Since he unsealed engine, I’m sure he will mitigate himself – In addition he took further decision to sail New Zealand due to unsafe condition. In other word he was not forced to drop anchor Auckland he might go to New Zealand instead. It is up to his decision but once he decided to drop Anchor any place which he trust the place is safe then he must refuse all other helps and mitigate himself. We can not ignore Vendee Globe regulations which make this organization very special. Once again I’m very sorry for him.

With feats of seamanship shown by these guys I would have thought all the other competitors would rather he was allowed to continue racing.
This is a time for common sense and a minute bending of the rules.
George Tinley

With feats of seamanship shown by these guys I would have thought all the other competitors would rather he was allowed to continue racing.
This is a time for common sense and a minute bending of the rules.
George Tinley

this is the most awful news how poor Bernard must feel I cannot imagine. I know rules are rules but my God this is such an extreme race you cannot and must not live so strictly by the rules. PLEASE PLEASE members of the Jury give this heroic man a chance and turn the disqualification into a time penalty or something that allows him to continue to compete making all his extreme efforts worthwhile. Each one of these sailors deserves a medal for thier courage, stoicism and on and on. Jury you will ruin this race by these actions not only for Bernard but all of us. REVERSE YOUR DECISION

safety for men and boat comes first, honesty, fairness and seamanship was also respected by Mr. Stamm. What are these stupid lawyers on to? Let sailors be sailors and keep off with stupid interpretations of words.

The Vendee Globe is what it is and we have to accept this. And to add to this,the race has a higher meaning than what is cotained in the Vendee Globe and its rules. I am sure we all including the Vendee Globe organisation and all competitors and Bernard himself knows about this in the heart of their souls. We all need to know how this man and his boat track on this "bigger race" even if there is a disqualification. To leave a vacuum of information that pertains to a "higher calling" would be unreasonalbly harsh to all stakeholders involved in the Vendee Globe

This is very sad news, given Bernard's history in the Vendée Globe. He had to choose between seamanship and racing rules that stood against each other. The jury won't encourage others to honestly report all the details should they get into a similar situation. If Bernard is to penalize at all, give him a time penalty.

Thats why Regattas are so stupid! to tight rules everywhere and lots of people to police them. I will never attempt a regular regatta with my cat... Regattas and it inherant rules are just killing fun, fairness and the spirit of sport.

Mikke says it best - the Jury had no choice but to DQ as it is stated in the race rules - that everyone signs up to abide by at the start - that if anyone breaks rule NOR 3.2 (which unfortunately Bernard clearly did) - the only penalty is disqualification
I think the other points people make about a Time Penalty being more appropriate and a worry about skippers being conservative with the truth in the future to be valid however - but this can only be addressed through changes to Race Rule changes to subsequent races unfortunately :-(

I think that under these extremely unfortunate conditions one should give a time penalty. What would have happened
if help had been declined? Would an accident have been the impact with a high probability?

Hhm -
4 years ago Vincent Riou was 3rd over all without sailing into les sabled d'olonne - he lost his mast in a security situation at cape horn - strage decision
now Bernard Stamm disqualified in a security situation - strange decision too

I am not well-versed in the Rules of the VG, however, under dire circumstances, at sea, someone boarded without his knowledge, the fatigue and evident fluid circumstance with Russian vessel and politics involved, I say, "Chapeau to Bernard" he acted in solid form that speaks volumes of his character in a difficult situation. Do not DSG, penalize if so. Hope Team Poujoulat counters this legalistic decision. Chapeau Team Poujoulat et Bernard!

That’s a very regrettable case, caused by more unfavorable conditions and unfortunate events. Strict by rules the he may have to be excluded, but a truly wise jury could decide otherwise. Eves so, I hope, he will finish the race. Peace and Wind.

OK Rules are Rules no way to discuss this quote,but anycase is different.
I would like to ask to the Jury what Bernard should be acting in this situation??
If they sort out another way he could follow without breach the Rules and looking like a Stupid man racing solo around the world rather than a Sailor first, ok fair DSQ,
if they don't.... Rules are just made for change..200years ago in England if u steal an Apple u get 10year jail in Australia now isn't like this anymore.

In the last race Bernard Stamm lost his boat when his anchor dragged in a storm. The International Jury are essentially condoning the loss of the boat over the continuation of the race.
Stamm could have lied and not told the Jury about the person on board. It probably would never have come to light. His honesty has been used to hang him. In the future the likelihood is that the skipper will not give full disclosure.
Poor decision, a time penalty should have been applied, as it was when Pindar had crew on board after the start of the last race (even though it was only by seconds).

And why not use 2.3 where the safety of skippers is mentioned?
My vote is for the time penalty.
Whatever happens, Bernard has shown the true qualities that the Vendee Globe hopes to inspire.
Good luck Bernard and a safe passage home to you and your fellow competitors.
Steve

I thing that there is the rule and the rule spirit. Bernard has not braked in any sense that spirit.
With this kind of decissions Vendee Globe will be like America's Cup, winned by lawyers, not by sailors.

Disqualification seems way too harsh. I thought there was something in the rules about infringements being addressed by time penalties, unless the issue was a repeatable or persistent offence. Stamm was caught up by events, there was no malintention on his part, and it was a one-off event. Surely a time penalty would be more appropriate?

I think this particular case should be re-examined by the Jury because the help was not requested, Bernard could have done the manoeuvre by himself and, considering the emergency situation, the mooring to a ship at anchor does not appear contrary to the rules.

I think this particular case should be re-examined by the jury because the help was not requested, Bernard could have done all the manoeuvre without any help and, considering the emergency situation, the mooring to a ship at anchor to save the boat does not appear to me contrary to the rules.

This is ludicrous..... Bernard did not ask for help and for someone to come onboard, and the mooring to the vessel was done a a safety measure. The jury should give him a penalty (x hours), but a DSQ is way overkill. If the jury doesn't redress this, I will abandon the virtual race as a gesture of sympathy... (Currently in 6500 spot).

I hate to see this has happened but as sad as it is there are these rules which cannot and shouldn't be bended too much. I wish there was another solution like a time penalty or so but I think there simply isn't.
Thank you Bernard for all the incredible sailing and your efforts that you put into it. I wish that the rest of 2013 is going to be much more positive for you and that we hear from you soon again.

The Jury should apply some common sense to this case and for the better of the race and future races overlook the small and unasked for assistance and impose just a time penalty for the time taken that assistance was aided. Good luck in the appeal Bernard.

The Jury should apply some common sense to this case and for the better of the race and future races overlook the small and unasked for assistance and impose just a time penalty for the time taken that assistance was aided. Good luck in the appeal Bernard.

Vendee Globe is a tough race and I respect their principles, but their rules are against the general rule of sailorship. To be penalized when one sailor is willing to help another sailer in an emergancy situation. I like Vendee Globe but one day someone will get hurt because they refuse to get assistance due to an obsession to follow a rule made up by a regata. Safty first and Bernanrd should be get some miles penalty but NOT be disqualified. I hope that they change the rules, but its obviously only my opinion.

I am not qualified to make any "comment" on the International Jury's decision.
Nevertheless my impression is that the decision is implying that the crew of the Russian ship was aware of the applied rules and should have acted accordingly.
It is difficult for me to understand how Bernhard Stamm should have sorted out this information asymmetry without interacting with the Russian crew.
Punishing him for the "mistakes" the Russians made seems to me to be not appropriate.

I can't believe this. What an easy way to sabotage a competitor, really. Just insist on helping him no matter what he tries to say-and there you have it. He is such a fair competitor and did not give up. Such a blow. Such a blow for the whole idea. Do you really think he voluntarily broke the rules? Or does that count?

Having spent time in the Auckland Islands on a 40 ft yacht we were very careful to use a good anchor to hold as there was no outside assistance available. (Rocna 25 KG) Can we learn from this unfortunate occurrence and specify ground tackle of a certain size and weight that will make the racing solo sailor more prepared. If there was no ship close at hand what may have happened? Would the yacht have drifted on to shore? Drifting towards the ship would mean that the ship would be obliged to put fenders or a RIB in between the ship and the yacht. Any action that the ship took to keep the yacht from 'fouling' the ships gear may not be assistance but collision avoidance. Bad luck for Stamm and unfortunately with solo sailing, stress and fatigue can mar decisions or be unaware of goings on in a world very much separated by more secure circumstances where considered decisions can be rationally made.
There must be some responsibility taken by the rule makers to make sure that if an anchoring situation is required that a substantial heavy weather anchor and ground tackle must be carried on board. If the case of collision avoidance is put forward as a reasonable with the ships crew taking appropriate action and not actually assisting Stamm in any way to advance his position then perhaps a time penalty can be imposed that may be quite severe but still allow Stamm to continue racing so that ‘sportsmanship (sportsperson ship) can be made. A substantial time penalty may be seen as appropriate by the other competitors.

Having spent time in the Auckland Islands on a 40 ft yacht we were very careful to use a good anchor to hold as there was no outside assistance available. (Rocna 25 KG) Can we learn from this unfortunate occurrence and specify ground tackle of a certain size and weight that will make the racing solo sailor more prepared. If there was no ship close at hand what may have happened? Would the yacht have drifted on to shore? Drifting towards the ship would mean that the ship would be obliged to put fenders or a RIB in between the ship and the yacht. Any action that the ship took to keep the yacht from 'fouling' the ships gear may not be assistance but collision avoidance. Bad luck for Stamm and unfortunately with solo sailing, stress and fatigue can mar decisions or be unaware of goings on in a world very much separated by more secure circumstances where considered decisions can be rationally made.
There must be some responsibility taken by the rule makers to make sure that if an anchoring situation is required that a substantial heavy weather anchor and ground tackle must be carried on board. If the case of collision avoidance is put forward as a reasonable with the ships crew taking appropriate action and not actually assisting Stamm in any way to advance his position then perhaps a time penalty can be imposed that may be quite severe but still allow Stamm to continue racing so that ‘sportsmanship (sportsperson ship) can be made. A substantial time penalty may be seen as appropriate by the other competitors.

francescoteam2 really says it best. It is just so unfortunate that in an emergent situation, Bernard was not rude to the sailor who jumped aboard. But assistance is assistance, and that is prohibited. I was hoping it would not come to this. I would have been polite to those who were trying to help. What a situation to be in now because he was a gentleman. UGH this is a bitter pill to swallow. I feel so bad!

I see simply that Mister Bernard Stamm is a Big Sailor of an irreproachable honesty. I hope at least that you will have the courtesy for us who follow her, to continue to give the position of Stamm even if you refuse us his ranking.

I think the Jury made the correct decision, there was nothing else they could do, really. The rules are crystal clear and Bernard broke not one, but two, of the rules in NOR 3.2:
"During the event, a competitor cannot have any material contact with any other ship or aircraft...
The competitor cannot dock or come alongside another boat."
and
"A competitor can put into port, mooring or anchoring by his/her own means but cannot receive any outside assistance"
Furthermore, the penalty for breaching the above rules is also clearly stated:
"Failure to comply with this article will disqualify the competitor after instruction by the jury."
It's a tough rule, but it's a tough race!
I feel sorry for Bernard and I really hope he will finish his circumnavigation even though he is DSQed.

I think the Jury made the correct decision, there was nothing else they could do, really. The rules are crystal clear and Bernard broke not one, but two, of the rules in NOR 3.2:
"During the event, a competitor cannot have any material contact with any other ship or aircraft...
The competitor cannot dock or come alongside another boat."
and
"A competitor can put into port, mooring or anchoring by his/her own means but cannot receive any outside assistance"
Furthermore, the penalty for breaching the above rules is also clearly stated:
"Failure to comply with this article will disqualify the competitor after instruction by the jury."
It's a tough rule, but it's a tough race!
I feel sorry for Bernard and I really hope he will finish his circumnavigation even though he is DSQed.

I am deeply sorry for Stam but I fully agree with the Jury. What made the Vendée Globe a legend are precisely its simple but essential rules, do not be helped by anyone under any circumstances. It's hard to accept....but this is The Vendée Globe; in respect of those Sailors who have fought and are fighting alone with their fears, their hopes and their dreams of reaching the finish line, no matter whether the first or last to reach the Sables d'Olonne; in memory of the heroes who are not longer with us and watch the race from the depths of the abyss in my humble opinion I consider correct the jury's decision.

Rules are rules , however I believe this matter should be looked at in the context it took place and aggree that a time penalty should be considered. The race committee should be seen to encourage participants to finish the race safely ?

OH NO. As I had feared, Bernard is out, disqualified! How sad. But as they say, 'Rules is rules'.
Doesn't look like he has a case for appeal. What a very sad end to a noble challenge, which promised so much. Commiserations, Bernard.

I am not agree with this sentence,Bernard wasn't ask for help i think the Sailor Rules and a right Sea Behave is more important than just a Race,
which kind of a Person not even a Sailor could kick out from the boat somebody help you in emergency situation....and also when during the Race was happening many times that someone recover a Skipper in the middle of Ocean isn't an help to have another sailor on borad???